No Brand's PH Run Ends in June as Robinsons Cuts 11 Stores

No Brand's time in the Philippines is heading for an exit, with Robinsons Retail Holdings saying all 11 standalone branches will shut down by the end of June 2026. The announcement came on March 25, as the company said the Korean specialty grocery chain no longer fits its push to simplify the business and focus on formats that deliver stronger long-term returns.

Based on Rappler's report, Robinsons first brought No Brand into the country in 2019 through a master franchise deal with South Korea's Emart. The brand expanded into major malls in Metro Manila and other cities, selling Korean snacks, instant noodles, frozen food, drinks, and other grocery favorites that built a niche following among local shoppers.

Pero in the end, RRHI said the format failed to produce the kind of sustainable returns it wanted. Company officials said consumer behavior has continued to shift, and the group now wants to concentrate on retail setups that better match how customers actually shop today. Robinsons also said the closures would not materially hurt the wider business because No Brand only accounts for a tiny share of annual sales.

The report noted that some No Brand items will still remain available through other Robinsons Retail channels like Shopwise, even after the standalone stores disappear. That means fans of select products may still see some Korean grocery staples around, just not in dedicated No Brand branches.

For shoppers, it's another reminder that popularity online or in pop culture does not always translate into a winning retail business. Malakas ang K-wave sa Pinas, but sustaining a full brick-and-mortar chain is a different game altogether.

Source: Rappler